10 indicted in alleged sex trafficking ring

Friday

Sep 29, 2017 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2017 at 3:18 PM

Ten people have been indicted on human sex trafficking and other charges stemming from an investigation into an online escort service that allegedly sold women for sex in Braintree, Lexington, Newton, Waltham and Boston.

Gerry Tuoti Wicked Local Newsbank Editor

Ten people have been indicted on human sex trafficking and other charges stemming from an investigation into an online escort service that allegedly sold women for sex in Braintree, Lexington, Newton, Waltham and Boston.

Sonya Palic, 46, of Manchester, N.H., and Charlotte Napolitano, 46, of Bedford, N.H., were initially arrested in February following a five-month investigation by Attorney General Maura Healey’s office. The AG’s Human Trafficking Division alleges that Palic, aka “Chloe,” and Napolitano, aka “Red,” ran a sex trafficking ring through their website, ChloesCompanions.com. The website has since been shut down as the result of a court order.

Palic, Napolitano and eight other defendants were indicted Thursday by a Massachusetts grand jury and face superior court arraignments at later dates, Healey announced Friday..

Authorities allege that between 12 and 15 women were trafficked on the website at any given time. The “Chloe’s Companions” website provided profiles of the women along with their available dates and locations. The website operators then arranged for the women to meet with men at hotels for paid sex, according to investigators.

The investigation revealed four men, including Charlotte Napolitano’s husband, Richard Napolitano, 43, brought the women to the paid sexual encounters and helped collect money, according to the AG’s office. Eric Peltak, 44 of Manchester, N.H.; Anthony DiDomizio, 52, of Manchester, N.H.; and Caleb Gerry, 23, of Gardner, are also accused of transporting women and collecting payments.

Palic and Napolitano, according to authorities, received the majority of the payments from the illicit sex trafficking operation and laundered the money through other businesses.

The AG’s office alleges “Chloe’s Companions” primarily operated in Massachusetts, but also conducted business in New Hampshire and New York.

A grand jury indicted Palic on 19 counts of trafficking persons for sexual servitude, 19 counts of deriving support from prostitution, four counts of money laundering, three counts of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude and four counts of conspiracy to launder money.

Charlotte Napolitano was indicted on 19 counts of trafficking persons for sexual servitude, 19 counts of deriving support from prostitution and three counts of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude.

Richard Napolitano and Gerry were indicted on one count each of trafficking persons for sexual servitude and conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude.

A grand jury indicted DiDomizio and Peltak on three counts of trafficking persons for sexual servitude and one count of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude.

Charles Cook, 65 of Marblehead and John Vivilecchia, 53 of Groveland, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual servitude, conspiracy to launder money and sex for a fee.

David Johnson, 60, of Carver, and Eric Simpson, 44, of Mendon, were indicted on one count each of money laundering, conspiracy to launder money and sex for a fee.

In 2011, Massachusetts passed a human trafficking law. The law, which went into effect the following year, gives authorities the ability to criminally charge pimps with human trafficking. Since then, the AG’s office has charged more than 35 people under the statute.

The law establishes human trafficking as a state crime and sets the penalty for trafficking a person for sexual servitude at up to 20 years in prison. Anyone convicted of trafficking a person under the age of 18 for sex can face a sentence of up to life in prison.

LISTEN: Extra! Extra! hosts talk with Wicked Local journalist Gerry Tuoti about his work on the human trafficking series and what it was like doing the reporting.